Love is Blind
by TalynBby
Summary: *SPOILERS FOR VOLUME 7* James' worst nightmare has come true. Salem has attacked Atlas. But what will he do when Salem passes her own cruel ounishment to the general himself? Qrow Brawnen was used to losing things close to him, but Clover's near certain death and James' betrayal have hurt him far more than he's used to. But what is he going to do when he see the general now?
1. James’POV

James took a deep breath, his first one of the day, as he sat in his office. He_**failed**. _He failed everyone. Salem was there, in Atlas, in his city, and there was nothing he would do to stop her. He rest his head in his hands, his thoughts wandering back to Beacon, about how he swore he'd never allow that to happen again. Yet here he was, in the middle of a second Beacon.

_This shouldn't have happened._

_You failed them all again, James._

_You failed him again._

The thoughts kept coming until they were interrupted by the sound of gunshots, then screaming, and then the soft thump of his office door opening.

"Hello James," His name dripped off her tongue like poison on a dagger. James looked up, his face unchanging. After all, she would just kill him, end his disappointing life. Her voice picks back up again, "You thought you could win? Against me?"

Salem gave a cold smile as she approached his desk, her eyes connecting with James' own. She grabbed a chair, sitting across from him, taunting him with a display of humility, despite her power over him.

"Just do it. Kill me now, Salem."

"I don't think I will, dear General."

"What?"

Salem smirks as she stands, looking at her claw like nails, "I said, I won't be killing you General Ironwood. There are... certain fates worse than death," James sucked in a breath, what could be worse than _this? Salem walked closer to him, "Like this."_

A loud scream resounds through the halls, James flung his hands up to his face as Salem laughs. She admires the warm red liquid now staining her fingertips. The only sounds to be heard in the building were sobs of pain and heels clicking.

"Good luck, General. I'm sure someone will _see_ you soon."


	2. Qrow’sPOV

_Is he dead?_

_Grab him!_

_Killer!_

Killer. That was the word that stung the most as he was arrested. He _never_ wanted this happen. This... this _shouldn't _have happened. He should've trusted him.

_Look what you've done now, Qrow. Clover... this is all my fault._

Qrow could only stare at Clover's blood stained badge as he heard medics desperately trying to revive the man. But even if Callows missed his heart... Qrow shook the thought out of his mind, allowing it to wander somewhere else. _His nieces._ He forgotten all about them! Ruby sounded so frantic when she announced Ironwood's plan, all Qrow could do was _pray_ that they were alright. James had really gone of the deep end now, and Qrow cursed himself for not seeing it sooner. They had both been at Beacon. They both saw the same horrors, but Qrow took his trauma out on the bottle and in protecting Ruby. He never really thought about how James could be handling it.

"Qrow Branwen, stand and exit the craft." A soldier barked at him. Qrow looked up, standing. He hadn't even realized how close they were to Atlas. But something was off. This building should be crowded right now, bustling with men and machines preparing for whatever had gone wrong. The only sound was an alarm blaring, and the unease settled into Qrow. He needed to get Harbringer. He needed uncuffed. _He needed to _**run.**

"Let me go. Something is wrong here. I can protect you."

"You're under arrest."

"Don't act like nothing is wrong! Please." Qrow pleaded. The soldier bit his lip, before uncuffing Qrow and giving him his weapon, with a nod that said I'm watching you. Qrow nodded, and started heading to James' office. And then there was a tremor, but _how_? Atlas doesn't get affected by earthquakes. It a _floating city. _Then the lights flickered, a loud explosion, and then black.


	3. Qrow’sPOV

Flashing lights, crackling sounds, and an intense head shove Qrow back into the world of the awake. He tried to stand, to regain his balance, only to fall again. _I'm pretty sure I'm not drunk this time. _After three or so attempts, Qrow finds his footing, grabbing Harbringer as well. His crimson eyes scanned the room, and one thing struck him the hardest. _The room was damn near sideways._ One thought struck his mind almost instantly. The General! James would _never_ let this happen. Not unless something happened to him first. Before Qrow could even move a muscle towards James' office, a voice called out.

"H..help! Please!" The voice coughed out. It belonged to the soldier who brought Qrow here, and the one who trusted him enough to let him out of his bindings and be given his weapon. Qrow turned his head towards the voice, only to instantly regret it. A metal rod severed the man's leg. Qrow could feel the vomit rising in his chest, it looked _horrid, _and he couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, someway, this was _his _fault. It was always his fault.

"Just... just hold still and... shit... talk to me. What's your name?" Qrow voice shook with every word as he searched for something, _anything_, that could help him save this man's life.

"Cer...Cerulean Mist,"

"Cool name. I like blue. Blue's m' favorite color,"

"Am I... Am I going to make it home?" Cerulean croaked out, taking his helmet off, revealing a young man, in no way older than 17, with eyes so blue they rivaled the sky itself. Qrow bit his lip, his eyes landing on the fire in the nearby room. He didn't want to do that. Cauterizing it would destroy the nerves in the leg. If he ever wanted a prosthetic, they would need to cut even more of his leg off. Yet, there was nothing else to do. Qrow couldn't just let this kid die.

"Yeah. Yeah I'm gonna get you home kid," Qrow responded, tearing yet another part of his cloak, wrapping around a small metal poll, and lights it ablaze. Qrow's expression softened when he turned to see Cerulean wide eyed and terrified, "I know kid. It's gonna hurt, but you're strong. I can tell," he slowly walked over to the injuried kid, letting him grab his arm as Qrow used the fire to cauterize the wound. Cerulean bit his lip, tears flowing down his pale cheeks as he desperately grabbed Qrow's arm in an attempt to stop himself from screaming. As soon as Qrow was done, Cerulean finally gave in, knowing he was safe, and passed out. Qrow took a deep breath as he set the poor kid into a lying position.

_You did this to him. You're nothing but bad luck to everyone who sees you._

Qrow was pulled out his thoughts as his scroll began buzzing. He pulled it out, answering without even looking at the number.

"Uncle Qrow!_ Bzzt ..._Atlas!.. _Bzzt ..._Salem... _Bzzt ..._into the mountain!.. _Bzzt_ ...stay where you are!" The voice of Ruby mixed into the static before Qrow finally lost signal. But that didn't concern Qrow as much as what the young girl said. _Salem was here. _He felt his blood run could as his body started running to James' office. _That's _what happened to him. Salem happened to him. Thoughts once again filled Qrow's head.

_She killed him. She definitely killed him. She killed him and you'll never stand a chance to win._

Qrow picked up his pace. Jimmy wouldn't die, not to her. He wouldn't... would he? Qrow shook his head as he neared the office. He would open that door and James would be there. He would be alive. He would be fine. Right? Qrow once again picked up his pace, slamming James' office door open, only to wish he hadn't.


	4. James’POV

"James! James wake up you bastard!" A voice croaked out, mixing with the ringing in James' ears. He opened his eyes to darkness, groaning softly.

"What happened to the lights?" James groaned out, he felt sore, with a burning pain on his face. What happened? The last thing he remembers was the sound of- oh gods. Salem has been here. He could only begin to imagine what she had done to his city, to his people.

"James, James what happened! What happened to your eyes!" The voice, which was now recognizable as Qrow Branwen's, shouted out. His eyes? Nothing was wrong with his eyes. ...Was there? James shakily stood, using the wall to find this balance. He stumbled forward, using the wall to guide him. He could hear the blaring of the alarms, but where, where was the _light? _He felt his entire body tense as an arm wrapped itself around him.

"L..let go. I'm fine, I just have to find the lights," James croaked out, his voice rough and hoarse.

"Jimmy, I hate to tell you, but the lights are already on," Qrow spoke softly, almost comfortingly.

"What- That's impossible Qrow."

"Since when have _I _lied to you James," Qrow's voice grew softer. He was right, James had no reason not to believe Qrow. Even back when Qrow was a drunken bastard, he still never told a lie. Keep secrets, sure. But never once did that crimson eyed man tell a lie to James. James' heart sank as memories flowed back to him. Salem, she... she blinded him. James' legs began to give out as his emotions finally caught up to him.

"No..."

That was the only word could muster out as tears began to flow down his face. Qrow barely caught him before he sunk to the ground. A pained sob filled the room, everything James had worked for, everything he sacrificed, _everyone he sacrificed._ All of it, just for it to be ended like this. All of it ended by his own incompetence as a leader. Suddenly, the darkness he was surrounded by became much colder, much angrier. He _failed. _He failed _everyone._

"James," Qrow softly called out from somewhere in the darkness, "we need to get out of here. Salem threw Atlas into the of a mountain. Ruby and the others should behere soon, we can start evacuating people to Mistrel, to Vacuo!" He sounded frantic, afraid, but he wasn't wrong. But, how could James help? He was blind, and even worse, unadjusted. For the second time in his life, James was truly helpless. Qrow sighed softly and hoisted him up, managing to hold most of James' weight.

"Listen here Jimmy, I might not _like_ you right now, but I'm not leaving you behind. So if you can pony up a bit and withstand some verbal and possibly physical hits from the kids, that'd be amazing, cause I have someone else I promised to help too!" Qrow's voice started to get angry, and justifiably so. After all, James had issued a warrant for his _and_ his nieces arrest. James took back most his weight and sighed, following Qrow and hoping he wouldn't let James run face first into a wall, not that he didn't deserve it. Qrow led him out of the building, indicated by the biting cold, and onto what he can only assume to be a landing pad.

"General!" A voice James recognized all too well cried out, the voice of Winter Schnee. His second in command and his adoptive daughter. James could hear her footsteps get closer and closer until he felt her arms around him. He timidly moved his arms, softly setting one hand on her head. Her hair was down, and he could feel warm tears soaking into his clothing. Whatever Winter had been through, it was enough to shake her. Bad. He felt her head look up and her breath hitch, "General... What happened to you?"

"I... Salem..." James tried desperately to think of the words he could say that wouldn't devestate the poor girl anymore. Suddenly she yelped and stepped away from James, a moment before a fist collided with the General's jaw.

"Have you _**ever** _thought about anyone besides yourself?" A trembling voice asked, "He... Clover is damn near dead right now! Because he trusted _you."_ James stood there for a moment, silent. That voice belonged to Marrow Amin, the youngest Ace Operative. James' heart sunk to the bottom of his chest. So much hurt, and all because of him.

"Everyone stop! Give the man sometime to get his bearings! Marrow, go back into the building with Weiss, there's a soldier in there, missing a leg, but alive. Bring him back and cool off." Qrow started barking out orders, getting the ace ops and the new huntsmen their roles to assist in the evacuation of Atlas as fast as possible. Not that it wouldn't take a long time, since they were working with the scraps of the military and no communication with any other kingdom. Qrow continued giving his orders until only two names remained uncalled. Winter and Ruby. Ruby... James had truly been cruel to her, and he knew he should apologize, but what would an apology do now? He felt another set of arms wrap themselves around him and lead him, eventually helping him sit down.

"General Ironwood... your eyes," Ruby said softly, gently brushing her fingers by the wounds. Her words were soft, genuine. After all he just put her through, she still cared. She had more empathy than anyone James had ever known, well, _almost_ anyone.

"Ms. Rose I... I owe you an apology," James tilted his head upward, an imitation of his now lost sight.

"Don't, you need rest first. Please. It'll be better once we know our losses."

"I can't... I can't rest yet, Ms. Rose. I have to help,"

"You can help by resting," Qrow's voice chirped in, soft and concerned. James gave in with a sigh. They were right after all, he couldn't do much to help in his current state. James leaned back against a cool concrete wall, and sighed once again. He soon felt a warm and slender body lean against him, and recognizes it as Winter. James hums softly with a small amount of contentment as he slowly and cautiously wraps an arm around her, both of them drifting off into a dreamless and well-needed sleep.


End file.
